Need your opinion...pls no flaming!!!

[HelloNewman]

Ok...please tell me if I should have done anything different the next time this ever happens to me.

 

I work in a job that requires auto travel to different facilities. I am on my way to my next facility one day and I am on a 2 lane rural road and I am doing 60 in a 55mph zone and I am behind this beat up old rusted out POS Dodge van that has 3 men in it....1 driver, 1 passenger and 1 in the back seat. Their ages range from anywhere from high school to mid 20's.... I come up on them and DO NOT tailgate them but they are doing exactly 55 and I have a dotted line and no traffic the other way so I decide to put my blinker on and pass them by and once by I slow to 60 mph give or take 1-2 miles.

 

As I start to pass them the driver of the car puts his gas pedal to the floor and forbids me to pass them and tries to avoid me getting by. My car does not have enough horsepower to beat him while he has it to the floor so I abort and go back behind him and he slows back down to exactly 55mph . He never batted an eye or made any kind of obscene gesture or looked at me ....here I am going to my next job while these punks find it funny to provoke me so I got mad and ended up flipping him off a couple of times *( I know I probably should not have done that but I was pissed that they were playing a dangerous game with me while I was only legally trying to pass them on the left in the oncoming lane). So I stay behind him a couple of more minutes and try to pass him again thinking it was over but once again while I am trying to get by he floors the gas again and prevents me from passing him. So I honk the horn and flip him off again while I abort back into the lane again and he slows back down to 55mph.

 

My question is this: What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment on the road? I did nothing to provoke these people from the start, did not tailgate, and tried to pass while I had the dotted line which the last time I checked was legal to do. I am not an aggressive driver and I am courteous when I can be on the road. Do young men take it as a personal insult when someone tries to pass them on a road in today's society? I probably should have ignored them but they were trying to pick a fight to be funny. Yes I did get angry and fipped them off a few times but only after they tried to get me killed on the road by being childish. What should I have done differently?

 

Thanks for your feedback

[UConn James]

I don't think it's a "young man thing" as much as it is an American thing. I was talking about this last night over dinner at a friends'. No one in this country wants to be passed by -- we're too egotistical. On the autobahn, people don't take it as a personal affront that someone is going faster; they just move over and let the other person pass.

 

What should you have done? All that so you could be one car in front of them at the next stop light? You could have been patient and driven the speed limit. You'll get to your destination, what, 2 minutes later?

[OGTEleven]

I don't think it's a "young man thing" as much as it is an American thing. I was talking about this last night over dinner at a friends'. No one in this country wants to be passed by -- we're too egotistical. On the autobahn, people don't take it as a personal affront that someone is going faster; they just move over and let the other person pass.

 

What should you have done? All that so you could be one car in front of them at the next stop light? You could have been patient and driven the speed limit. You'll get to your destination, what, 2 minutes later?

347210[/snapback]

How did you manage to turn even that into an "America sucks" rant?

[/dev/null]

How did you manage to turn even that into an "America sucks" rant?

347212[/snapback]

 

Bush Bad!

Haliburton!

Road Rage!

 

oh sorry, wrong board

[Ghost of BiB]

I'd get a car with more horsepower. That's happened to me, and I don't like it either. I've also had a turn arrow go green, and have someone wait until it flashes, takes off ahead of the oncoming, just so I couldn't make the turn. Things like happen a lot. Why? I think a lot of people weren't raised right. I've had people behind me get just about psychotic, because I let a car or two merge into my lane ahead of me (covered partially in another thread).

 

What's wrong with saying people act like fools? I agree with UConn. If people had the disclipline here that they have there as far as driving, there would be no road rage. If you don't pull over on the Autobahn, you get a porsche up your ass.

[UConn James]

How did you manage to turn even that into an "America sucks" rant?

347212[/snapback]

 

Huh?

 

I'm just pointing out a fact in the different ways things are done. If you think American drivers are courteous, you either don't drive or you're one of the a-hole drivers. I have a dozen relatives across the country who drive as a job -- big rigs, trucks, mail trucks, and I'm regaled by stories of people who blow through stop signs and flip them off. Happens to me too. Where's the link of the story yesterday where most people would fail their driver's test if they take it again? People here don't know how to drive, and combine that with road rage.

 

Uhp! Saying people need to calm down and drive responsibly = America sucks? Nice logic.

[OGTEleven]

Huh?

 

I'm just pointing out a fact in the different ways things are done. If you think American drivers are courteous, you either don't drive or you're one of the a-hole drivers. I have a dozen relatives across the country who drive as a job -- big rigs, trucks, mail trucks, and I'm regaled by stories of people who blow through stop signs and flip them off. Happens to me too. Where's the link of the story yesterday where most people would fail their driver's test if they take it again? People here don't know how to drive, and combine that with road rage.

 

Uhp! Saying people need to calm down and drive responsibly = America sucks? Nice logic.

347217[/snapback]

In your first post you attributed the traits of one driver to all americans. Do you think that might be over generalizing a bit?

 

You also called americans egotistical. That doesn't seem very pro-american. There are no humble americans/ego maniacal euros?

 

Are there any good drivers here? Are there any bad drivers in the all hallowed europe?

 

There is no doubt that there are many bad drivers. Some are too speedy/agresssive. Some are too slow/inattentive. My bet is that europe has their share too. I don't think it is because americans are arrogant.

 

And another thing..... One thing that proves europeans are bad drivers: they ALL drive on the wrong friggin side of the road. Morons.

[BADOLBILZ]

Ok...please tell me if I should have done anything different the next time this ever happens to me.

 

I work in a job that requires auto travel to different facilities.  I am on my way to my next facility one day and I am on a 2 lane rural road and I am doing 60 in a 55mph zone and I am behind this beat up old rusted out POS Dodge van that has 3 men in it....1 driver, 1 passenger and 1 in the back seat.  Their ages range from anywhere from high school to mid 20's.... I come up on them and DO NOT tailgate them but they are doing exactly 55 and I have a dotted line and no traffic the other way so I decide to put my blinker on and pass them by and once by I slow to 60 mph give or take 1-2 miles.

 

As I start to pass them the driver of the car puts his gas pedal to the floor and forbids me to pass them and tries to avoid me getting by.  My car does not have enough horsepower to beat him while he has it to the floor so I abort and go back behind him and he slows back down to exactly 55mph . He never batted an eye or made any kind of obscene gesture or looked at me ....here I am going to my next job while these punks find it funny to provoke me so I got mad and ended up flipping him off a couple of times *( I know I probably should not have done that but I was pissed that they were playing a dangerous game with me while I was only legally trying to pass them on the left in the oncoming lane).  So I stay behind him a couple of more minutes and try to pass him again thinking it was over but once again while I am trying to get by he floors the gas again and prevents me from passing him.  So I honk the horn and flip him off again while I abort back into the lane again and he slows back down to 55mph. 

 

My question is this:  What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment on the road?  I did nothing to provoke these people from the start, did not tailgate, and tried to pass while I had the dotted line which the last time I checked was legal to do.  I am not an aggressive driver and I am courteous when I can be on the road.  Do young men take it as a personal insult when someone tries to pass them on a road in today's society?  I probably should have ignored them but they were trying to pick a fight to be funny.  Yes I did get angry and fipped them off a few times but only after they tried to get me killed on the road by being childish.  What should I have done differently? 

 

Thanks for your feedback

347201[/snapback]

 

IMO, what you should have done differently is not let it bother you. It's no big deal, the strokes were doing the speed limit, they f'd with you a little, that's part of being a working stiff with a shittass car. Definately shouldn't have tried to pass again. That's just sad. Know your role in the stupid humor chain.

[UConn James]

What's wrong with saying people act like fools? I agree with UConn. If people had the disclipline here that they have there as far as driving, there would be no road rage. If you don't pull over on the Autobahn, you get a porsche up your ass.

347215[/snapback]

 

Or a Mercedes 500s.... My pal took a picture of the tachometer at 245kph (~125mph?).

 

In your first post you attributed the traits of one driver to all americans.  Do you think that might be over generalizing a bit?

 

You also called americans egotistical.  That doesn't seem very pro-american.  There are no humble americans/ego maniacal euros?

 

Are there any good drivers here?  Are there any bad drivers in the all hallowed europe?

 

There is no doubt that there are many bad drivers.  Some are too speedy/agresssive.  Some are too slow/inattentive.  My bet is that europe has their share too.  I don't think it is because americans are arrogant.

 

And another thing.....  One thing that prove europeans are bad drivers: they ALL drive on the wrong friggin side of the road.  Morons.

347221[/snapback]

 

That was meant generally, which was pretty apparent. Or not. This is an Internet message board. Some, all, many, more, lots, few... Did you major in Rhetoric or something? And I would respectfully submit that Europeans take driving way more seriously than we do.

 

That, and those silly zigzag lines marking the edge of the road. Do they expect people to drive in lightning-bolt pattern?

[Ghost of BiB]

I lived there a couple of times. Last time, I had a '72 Mercedes that would flat ass run. Not an exageration, I would go from Bremen to Bremerhaven at about 135-138 MPH. which was essentially flat out. I STILL had people run up on me like I was doing 50. You move over-gently...get out of their way.

 

The first time I was there, I remember my first experience getting into the left lane to pass a police car while going over a hundred miles per hour. Forgive me, I thought it was pretty cool.

 

The caveat, here...is the Autobahn. Europeans can be the most crappy, ruthless city drivers in the world.

[BuffaloBorn1960]

this beat up old rusted out POS Dodge van that has 3 men in it.... My car does not have enough horsepower to beat him while he has it to the floor so I abort ....

 

So that makes your car what????? Dude you have bigger problems.

[HelloNewman]

I drive a 2004 Subaru Forester

 

By the way.....who cares what kind of car I drive? I could say a Ferrari and it would still not make it right what they did. I do not do things like that and van engines are usually bigger than most normal cars anyway......I am not racing anyone who feels the need to speed up to 100mph to forbid me to pass...it is not a question of "whose car is bigger and badder?" It is a question of who was right and wrong and what suggestions could be made from different people out there to help me avoid any confrontations like that in the future

 

Thanks

[Ghost of BiB]

I drive a 2004 Subaru Forester

 

By the way.....who cares what kind of car I drive?  I could say a Ferrari and it would still not make it right what they did.  I do not do things like that and van engines are usually bigger than most normal cars anyway......I am not racing anyone who feels the need to speed up to 100mph to forbid me to pass...it is not a question of "whose car is bigger and badder?"  It is a question of who was right and wrong and what suggestions could be made from different people out there to help me avoid any confrontations like that in the future

 

Thanks

347252[/snapback]

 

OK, this the worst thing going on in your life? I agree with being PO'd at idiots...I AGREED with you...but get a grip.

 

You have been "forbidden to pass" by some folks who have obviously intimidated you. If you had the Ferrari, they would have been in awe at your dust...if you ever got it out of second gear. You're starting to sound traumatized. That's not a good thing. Chill out.

 

My suggestion, honestly, for you, is to slow down and take if possible take an alternate route. Or, buy something that can pass a rusted out van. Your choice. Don't start flipping the finger to three guys in a rusted out van with that mentality. Who is right and who is wrong doesn't really matter sometimes. Life gets like that, you can either pass them or not.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

The kids were having fun with you. Not condoning it since it's a childish (and potentially dangerous) thing to do, just explaining what was going on. You shouldn't have tried it a 2nd time because you knew they were going to do that again. Next time, give it a shot. If it doesn't work, forget about it because 5 MPH less save you a ton of time, and it MIGHT get you killed/shorten your lifespan.

[kegtapr]

I am on my way to my next facility one day and I am on a 2 lane rural road and I am doing 60 in a 55mph zone

 

I come up on them and DO NOT tailgate them but they are doing exactly 55 and I have a dotted line

 

(...while I was only legally trying to pass them on the left in the oncoming lane). 

 

 

347201[/snapback]

 

Technically, what you were doing is illegal as you were breaking the speed limit.

 

Realistically, they're !@#$tards and you should have just backed off and controlled your road rage.

[Ghost of BiB]

Technically, what you were doing is illegal as you were breaking the speed limit.

 

Realistically, they're !@#$tards and you should have just backed off and controlled your road rage.

347273[/snapback]

 

I still say get a car with some balls.

[Alaska Darin]

It's God's way of getting you back for bitching to the mods about my avatar, Sparky.

[kegtapr]

It's God's way of getting you back for bitching to the mods about my avatar, Sparky.

347283[/snapback]

 

Please, just pull the fuggin trigger kitty.

[mcjeff215]

How did you manage to turn even that into an "America sucks" rant?

347212[/snapback]

 

He's right, though. Don't europeans pay thousands to get a drivers license? As a full-blooded american, I'll tell you that I believe that hauling ass down US66 @ 75MPH is my god given birth right!

 

Now, as to these ass clowns? I have some stupid redneck in a beat up old truck (see the other driving thread) blow past me once a day, usually on a double yellow. It used to fire me up. I've learned to simply realize that not only is he passing me, he's probably eating dinner on my tab!

 

-Jeff

[OnTheRocks]

Ok...please tell me if I should have done anything different the next time this ever happens to me.

 

I work in a job that requires auto travel to different facilities.  I am on my way to my next facility one day and I am on a 2 lane rural road and I am doing 60 in a 55mph zone and I am behind this beat up old rusted out POS Dodge van that has 3 men in it....1 driver, 1 passenger and 1 in the back seat.  Their ages range from anywhere from high school to mid 20's.... I come up on them and DO NOT tailgate them but they are doing exactly 55 and I have a dotted line and no traffic the other way so I decide to put my blinker on and pass them by and once by I slow to 60 mph give or take 1-2 miles.

 

As I start to pass them the driver of the car puts his gas pedal to the floor and forbids me to pass them and tries to avoid me getting by.  My car does not have enough horsepower to beat him while he has it to the floor so I abort and go back behind him and he slows back down to exactly 55mph . He never batted an eye or made any kind of obscene gesture or looked at me ....here I am going to my next job while these punks find it funny to provoke me so I got mad and ended up flipping him off a couple of times *( I know I probably should not have done that but I was pissed that they were playing a dangerous game with me while I was only legally trying to pass them on the left in the oncoming lane).  So I stay behind him a couple of more minutes and try to pass him again thinking it was over but once again while I am trying to get by he floors the gas again and prevents me from passing him.  So I honk the horn and flip him off again while I abort back into the lane again and he slows back down to 55mph. 

 

My question is this:  What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment on the road?  I did nothing to provoke these people from the start, did not tailgate, and tried to pass while I had the dotted line which the last time I checked was legal to do.  I am not an aggressive driver and I am courteous when I can be on the road.  Do young men take it as a personal insult when someone tries to pass them on a road in today's society?  I probably should have ignored them but they were trying to pick a fight to be funny.  Yes I did get angry and fipped them off a few times but only after they tried to get me killed on the road by being childish.  What should I have done differently? 

 

Thanks for your feedback

347201[/snapback]

 

 

i hate to play the devil's advocate..(....ummm...no wait....no i don't...i love it actually.)

 

if they were driving 55 in a 55mph zone....tell me again how you were "legally" passing them going 60?